Regrets are Always at the End

Kabanata 37

A/N: Medyo i-fafast forward ko yung story. I don't wanna drag it kasi. Don't worry, no details will be missed.

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11 months passed. 11 months of pure happiness with Philip. 11 months full of successful projects in the company. 11 months, 11 long months of being with him seems so fast. Isipin niyo, parang kahapon lang naging kami and all. Pero look at us now, growing stronger everyday as time goes by.

Papunta kami ngayon sa isang restaurant so celebrate our monthsary. We don't usually do this pero sabi niya tonight is special. Birthday din kasi ni Philip so we decided to celebrate it together. I was currently playing with my phone when he touched my arm. Napatingin ako sa kanya, with a question mark on my face.

     "Are you okay, sal? May problema ba?" tanong ko sa kanya.

     "Wala naman. It's just that, nandito na tayo," he informed me.

   Napa-o yung bibig ko when I saw the view around me. Parang naaliw ako sa laro kasi di ko man lang napansin. Ningitian ko si Philip and he gave me one back. He got out first tapos umikot siya para buksan yung pintuan ko. He helped me get out tapos naglakad na kami papasok ng restaurant.

   We were here sa eat all you can na Korean restaurant where we had our first memorable date. Dinala kami ng isang waitress sa rineserve na table ni Philip. Pinauna niya akong pinaupo tapos tumabi siya sa'kin. I got my phone out and told him na magselfie kami. We took a lot of pictures para naman focus na kami sa pagkain afterwards.

Nung naserve na ng waitress ang orders namin, agad na kaming kumain. We were that hungry. We had a deal kasi na hindi kami kakain ng lunch para sulit talaga itong dinner. We drank water, of course. Baka himatayin pa kami if we don't.

"Are you having fun, my princess?" tanong niya sa'kin.

"Of course, sal. Alam mo naman na masaya ako basta kasama kita," sagot ko sa kanya sabay kiss sa pisngi niya. "I love you."

   Napatigil siya sa pagkain at tiningnan ako. Ningitian ko lang siya kasi alam ko kung bakit ganun na lang siya makareact. First time ko kasing masabi sa kanya yung i love you. Sa 11 months na naging kami, hindi ko pa siya nasasabihan nun. Why? Because I was afraid to let myself fall for him, hard. Natatakot pa kasi ako. It was my first time to be in a relationship. I didn't know the dos and donts in a relationship. Kumbaga, I was an infant when it comes to love. Pero Philip taught me everything I needed to know. Naging patient siya sa'kin and he didn't pressure me to answer him every time he says that he loves me.

"Tama ba yung narinig ko, sam?" he asked me, with excitement in his voice. His eyes were also becoming watery. "Did you just say it?"

"Ang bingi mo," asar ko sa kanya. I cupped his face and stared in his eyes. "I love you, sal, Philip Jace dela Cruz. I. Love. You."

Bigla siyang napatayo at sumigaw ng sobrang lakas. Pinagtitiningan na kami ng mga tao. Nahiya na ako sa ginawa niya kaya pilit ko siyang pinapaupo, but he wouldn't budge.

"She finally said she loves me," sigaw niya one last time bago umupo. "You made me the happiest man on earth, sam. You just don't know how happy I am."

"Sobrang happy, I guess, kasi napatayo ka pa nga eh," pang-aasar ko sa kanya ulit.

Hindi na siya sumagot sapagkat niyakap na niya ako ng sobrang higpit. I hugged him back at napatawa na lang. When he let go, nakita kong umiiyak na siya. I wiped his tears away and smiled at him.

"Don't cry na, sal. I didn't mean to make you sad," I said as I comforted him.

"I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because I'm happy, sam," paliwanag niya sa'kin. He cupped my face and smiled at me. "You're the greatest blessing God has ever given to me this year."